If you suspect that your child has a communicable disease that might spread to others:
- Keep your child at home and away from others
- Contact your family doctor for a diagnosis
- Your doctor will advise you about care and treatment when a communicable disease is diagnosed.
Children with the following diseases should remain at home and away from others.
List of communicable diseases
Chickenpox (Varicella)
- Children with mild chickenpox can attend child care regardless of the state of their rash, as long as they feel well enough to participate in all program activities
Diarrhea
- Daycare: Until 24 hours after diarrhea stops*
- Schools: Until diarrhea stops*
*Depending on the cause, the Health Department may require a longer period of exclusion.
Fifth's Disease (Parvovirus)
- No exclusion
- Children well enough to participate in all activities can attend school
Impetigo
- Until the antibiotic prescribed by a doctor has been taken for at least 24 hours and they feel well enough to participate
Measles (Rubella)
- For at least 4 days after the rash begins
- Non-immune children and staff must be excluded for 2 weeks after the onset of rash in the child diagnosed with measles, unless they have been vaccinated within 72 hours of first exposure
Mumps
- For at least 5 days after the swollen glands first appear
Pink-eye, bacterial (conjunctivitis)
- Until the antibiotic prescribed by a doctor has been taken for at least 24 hours
Ringworm
- Until first treatment has been started
Rubella (German measles)
- Until at least 7 days after the rash first appears
Scabies
- Until after the first treatment
Scarlet fever
- Until antibiotic prescribed by a doctor has been taken for at least 24 hours and they feel well enough to participate in activities
Strep throat
- Until antibiotic prescribed by a doctor has been taken for at least 24 hours and they feel well enough to participate in activities
Whooping cough (Pertussis)
- Exclude until 5 days of appropriate antibiotic treatment received or for 3 weeks from onset of illness, if not treated
Source: Canadian Paediatric Society